Electrical Connector Terminal

ABSTRACT

An electrical connector terminal comprises a resilient contact end) for electrically contacting with an insertion end of a mating electrical connector terminal. At least one side of the resilient contact end contacts with the insertion end at a plurality of electrical contact portions separated from each other in a longitudinal direction.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of the filing date under 35 U.S.C.§119(a)-(d) of Chinese Patent Application No. 201110134093.3, filed May20, 2011.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an electrical connector terminal, and moreparticularly, relates to an electrical connector terminal being capableof stably and electrically contacting with a mating electrical connectorterminal.

BACKGROUND

FIG. 1 shows a conventional electrical connector terminal 10 comprisingan end (left end of FIG. 1) adapted to be crimped on a conductor of awire and a resilient contact end (right end of FIG. 1) configured toelectrically contact with an insertion end 20 of a mating electricalconnector terminal.

As shown in FIG. 1, the resilient contact end of the electricalconnector terminal 10 includes a pair of opposite resilient cantilevers10 a, 10 b each having only one electrical contact portion a, b. Theelectrical contact portions a, b of the pair of resilient cantilevers 10a, 10 b face to each other. In this way, when the insertion end 20 ofthe mating electrical connector terminal is inserted between the pair ofresilient cantilevers 10 a, 10 b of the electrical connector terminal10, the pair of electrical contact portions a, b of the pair ofresilient cantilevers 10 a, 10 b electrically contact with both sides ofthe insertion end 20 of the mating electrical connector terminal,respectively.

In the conventional electrical connector terminal 10 shown in FIG. 1,each of the resilient cantilevers 10 a, 10 b electrically contacts withthe insertion end 20 of the mating electrical connector terminal at onlyone electrical contact portion. Accordingly, the electrical connectorterminal 10 likely displaces relative to the mating electrical connectorterminal, which causes the electrical contact of the electricalconnector terminal and the mating electrical connector terminalunstable.

In addition, because each side of the electrical connector terminalcontacts with the mating electrical connector terminal at only oneelectrical contact portion, the contact area between the electricalconnector terminal and the mating electrical connector terminal isrelatively small, which causes the contact resistance therebetween to berelatively high and deteriorates the conductive performance of them.

SUMMARY

The present invention has been made to overcome or alleviate at leastone aspect of the above mentioned disadvantages.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided anelectrical connector terminal comprises a resilient contact end forelectrically contacting with an insertion end of a mating electricalconnector terminal. At least one side of the resilient contact end ofthe electrical connector terminal contacts with the insertion end of amating electrical connector terminal at a plurality of electricalcontact portions separated from each other in a longitudinal directionof the resilient contact end.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features of the invention will become more apparentby describing in detail illustrative embodiments thereof with referenceto the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a planar view of a conventional electrical connector terminal;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an electrical connector terminal matedwith a mating electrical connector terminal according to an embodimentof the invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cutaway perspective view showing an electricalcontact region of the electrical connector terminal and the matingelectrical connector terminal of FIG. 2, in which an electrical contactfeature of a contact end of the electrical connector terminal and aninsertion end of the mating electrical connector terminal are exposed bycutting a wall;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the electrical contact region of theelectrical connector terminal and the mating electrical connectorterminal of FIG. 2, in which electrical contact portions of theelectrical connector terminal and the mating electrical connectorterminal are shown;

FIG. 5 is diagram showing a mechanical lever principle constructed bythe electrical contact portions of the electrical connector terminal andthe mating electrical connector terminal; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing an electrical connector terminalmated with a mating electrical connector terminal according to anotherillustrative embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Illustrative embodiments of the invention will be described hereinafterin detail with reference to the attached drawings, wherein the likereference numerals refer to the like elements. The invention may,however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construedas being limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

As used herein, an element recited in the singular and proceeded withthe word “a” or “an” should be understood as not excluding plural ofsaid elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly stated.Furthermore, references to “one embodiment” of the present invention arenot intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additionalembodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Moreover, unlessexplicitly stated to the contrary, embodiments “comprising” or “having”an element or a plurality of elements having a particular property mayinclude additional such elements not having that property.

As shown in FIG. 2, the electrical connector terminal 100 has aresilient contact end 101 and a crimping end 102 opposite to theresilient contact end 101. The mating electrical connector terminal 200has an insertion end 201 and a crimping end 202 opposite to theinsertion end 201.

Referring to FIG. 2, the insertion end 201 of the mating electricalconnector terminal 200 is configured to be inserted into the resilientcontact end 101 of the electrical connector terminal 100 to achieve anelectrical connection therebetween.

The crimping end 102 is configured to be crimped on a conductor of awire, and the crimping end 202 is also configured to be crimped on aconductor of another wire. In this way, the two wires can beelectrically connected by the electrical connector terminal 100 and themating electrical connector terminal 200.

In FIG. 3 part of wall 101 b is cut away to show internal features ofthe electrical connector terminal 100 and the mating electricalconnector terminal 200.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross section of the electrical contact regionof the electrical connector terminal 100 and the mating electricalconnector terminal 200 of FIG. 2, in which electrical contact portionsa1, b1, b2 of the electrical connector terminal 100 and the matingelectrical connector terminal 200 are shown.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the insertion end 201 of the matingelectrical connector terminal 200 has a pair of opposite side surfaces201 a, 201 b. The resilient contact end 101 of the electrical connectorterminal 100 has a resilient cantilever 101 a and a rigid wall 101 bopposite to the resilient cantilever 101 a.

As shown, there is one first electrical contact portion a1 between oneside surface 201 a and the resilient cantilever 101 a, and there are twosecond electrical contact portions b1, b2 between the other side surface201 b and the wall 101 b.

It should be noted that the invention is not limited to the illustrativeembodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. For example, there may be two or morefirst electrical contact portions between the one side surface 201 a andthe resilient cantilever 101 a. Also, there may me one, three or moresecond electrical contact portions between the other side surface 201 bof the mating electrical connector terminal 200 and the wall 101 b.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, because the wall 101 b issubstantially stationary, it can reliably limit the displacement of theother side surface 201 b to ensure the stability of the electricalconnection of the electrical connector terminal 100 and the matingelectrical connector terminal 200.

Referring again to FIGS. 3 and 4, the two second electrical contactportions b1, b2 are separated from each other in a longitudinal orinsertion direction. The one first electrical contact portion a1 islocated between the two adjacent second electrical contact portions b1,b2. In this way, the insertion end 201 of the mating electricalconnector terminal 200 is stabilized during insertion along thelongitudinal direction preventing angular insertion and stubbing ofinsertion end 201. In an embodiment of the invention, the one firstelectrical contact portion a1 is located in the middle of the twoadjacent second electrical contact portions b1, b2.

As shown in FIGS. 2-4, a resilient cantilever 101 a has a base endintegrally connected to the wall 101 b and a free end extending towardthe crimping end 102. The resilient cantilever 101 a is received in anopening formed in the wall 101 b and protrudes inward from the openingof the wall 101 b. That is, the resilient cantilever 101 a protrudestoward the one side surface 201 a.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the electrical connectorterminal 100 has an insertion chamber formed and surrounded by the rigidwall 101 b, and the insertion chamber is configured to receive theinsertion end 201 of the mating electrical connector terminal 200.Thereby, when the insertion end 201 is inserted into the insertionchamber, the insertion end 201 is surrounded by the wall 101 b to limitthe displacement of the electrical connector terminal 100 within theinsertion chamber and to further improve the stability of the electricalconnection of the electrical connector terminal 100 and the matingelectrical connector terminal 200.

FIG. 5 shows a diagram of mechanical lever principle constructed by theelectrical contact portions a1, b1, b2 of the electrical connectorterminal 100 and the mating electrical connector terminal 200. As shownthere and with reference to FIG. 4, a first contact force Fb1 is exertedon the insertion end 201 of the mating electrical connector terminal 200at the electrical contact portion b1 by the electrical connectorterminal 100, a second contact force Fb2 is exerted on the insertion end201 of the mating electrical connector terminal 200 at the electricalcontact portion b2 by the electrical connector terminal 100, and a thirdcontact force Fa1 is exerted on the insertion end 201 of the matingelectrical connector terminal 200 at the electrical contact portion a1by the electrical connector terminal 100.

According to the force equilibrium principle, an equation (1) can beobtained as follows.

Fa1=Fb1+Fb2  (1).

Furthermore, if the electrical contact portion b1 is given as thefulcrum point, the contact force Fb2 has a force arm Lb relative to thefulcrum point b1, and the contact force Fa1 has a force arm La relativeto the fulcrum point b1. According to the mechanical lever principle, anequation (2) can be obtained as follows.

Fb2×Lb=Fa1×La  (2).

Accordingly, the contact stability of the electrical connector terminal100 and the mating electrical connector terminal 200 can be improved bymeans of the force lever constructed by the electrical contact portionsa1, b1, b2.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment,the insertion end 201 of the mating electrical connector terminal 200has a pair of opposite side surfaces 201 a, 201 b. The resilient contactend 101′ of the electrical connector terminal 100′ has a first resilientcantilever 101 a′ and a second resilient cantilever 101 c′ opposite tothe first resilient cantilever 101 a′.

Referring again to FIG. 6, there are two first electrical contactportions a1′, a2′ between one side surface 201 a and the first resilientcantilever 101 a′, and there are three second electrical contactportions c1′, c2′, c3′ between the other side surface 201 b and thesecond resilient cantilever 101 c′.

It should be noted however, that the invention is not limited to theembodiment shown and the number of the first electrical contact portionbetween one side surface 201 a of the mating electrical connectorterminal 200 and the first resilient cantilever 101 a′ may be three ormore while the number of the second electrical contact portions betweenthe other side surface 201 b and the second resilient cantilever 101 c′of the electrical connector terminal 100 may be two, four or more.

Referring again to FIG. 6, all electrical contact portions a1′, a2′,c1′, c2′, c3′ are separated from each other in the longitudinaldirection of the resilient contact end 101. One first electrical contactportion a1 is located between two adjacent second electrical contactportions c1′, c2′, and the other first electrical contact portion a1′ islocated between two adjacent second electrical contact portions c2′,c3′. In this way, the insertion end 201 is horizontally stabilized alongthe longitudinal direction, preventing angular insertion and stubbing ofthe insertion end 201. In another embodiment of the invention, the onefirst electrical contact portion a1′ is located in the middle of the twoadjacent second electrical contact portions c1′, c2′, and the otherfirst electrical contact portion a2′ is located in the middle of the twoadjacent second electrical contact portion c2′, c3′.

As shown in FIG. 6, the resilient cantilevers 101 a′, 101 b′ each has abase end connected to the rigid wall 101 b′ and the resilientcantilevers 101 a′, 101 b′ each has a free end extending toward thecrimping end 102′ of the electrical connector terminal 100′ opposite tothe resilient contact end 101′. The resilient cantilevers 101 a′, 101 b′are each received in an opening formed in the wall 101 b′ and theresilient cantilevers 101 a′, 101 b′ each protrude inward from theopening of the wall 101 b′. That is, the resilient cantilevers 101 a′,101 b′ protrude toward the side surfaces 201 a, 201 b of the insertionend 201, respectively.

In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the electrical connector terminal 100′ hasan insertion chamber formed and surrounded by the wall 101 b′. Theinsertion chamber is configured to match with the insertion end 201 ofthe mating electrical connector terminal 200. Thereby, when theinsertion end 201 of the mating electrical connector terminal 200 isinserted into the insertion chamber of the electrical connector terminal100′, the insertion end 201 is surrounded by the rigid wall 101 b′ tolimit the displacement of the electrical connector terminal 100′ withinthe insertion chamber and to further improve the stability of theelectrical connection of the electrical connector terminal 100′ and themating electrical connector terminal 200.

Similar as the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 5, the electrical contactportions a1′, a2′, c1′, c2′, c3′ between the electrical connectorterminal 100′ and the mating electrical connector terminal 200 shown inFIG. 6 construct a mechanical lever, therefore, the contact stability ofthe electrical connector terminal 100′ and the mating electricalconnector terminal 200 can be improved.

Although several illustrative embodiments have been shown and described,it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changesor modifications may be made in these embodiments without departing fromthe principles and spirit of the disclosure, the scope of which isdefined in the claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electrical connector terminal, comprising: aresilient contact end being matable with an insertion end of a matingelectrical connector terminal, wherein at least one side of theresilient contact end contacts an insertion end of the mating electricalconnector terminal at a plurality of electrical contact portionsseparated from each other in a longitudinal direction.
 2. The electricalconnector terminal according to claim 1, wherein the resilient contactend comprises a resilient cantilever and a wall opposite to theresilient cantilever.
 3. The electrical connector terminal according toclaim 2, wherein the resilient cantilever contacts with one side surfaceof the insertion end at a plurality of first electrical contactportions.
 4. The electrical connector terminal according to claim 3,wherein the wall contacts with another side surface of the insertion endat a second plurality of second electrical contact portions.
 5. Theelectrical connector terminal according to claim 1, wherein theresilient contact end comprises a first resilient cantilever and asecond resilient cantilever opposite to the first resilient cantilever.6. The electrical connector terminal according to claim 5, wherein thefirst resilient cantilever contacts with one side surface of theinsertion end at a plurality of first electrical contact portions. 7.The electrical connector terminal according to claim 6, wherein thesecond resilient cantilever contacts with the other side surface of theinsertion end at a second plurality of second electrical contactportions.
 8. The electrical connector terminal according to claim 4,wherein the number of the second electrical contact portions is largerthan the number of the first electrical contact portions, and one of thefirst electrical contact portions is located between two adjacent secondelectrical contact portions.
 9. The electrical connector terminalaccording to claim 4, wherein the number of the second electricalcontact portion is less than the number of the first electrical contactportion, and one of the second electrical contact portions is locatedbetween two adjacent first electrical contact portions.
 10. Theelectrical connector terminal according to claim 4, wherein theresilient cantilever has a base connected to a wall of the resilientcontact end a free end extending toward the other end of the electricalconnector terminal.
 11. The electrical connector terminal according toclaim 10, wherein the other end of the electrical connector terminal isconfigured to be crimped onto a conductor.
 12. The electrical connectorterminal according to claim 11, wherein the other end of the matingelectrical connector terminal is configured to be crimped onto anotherconductor.
 13. The electrical connector terminal according to claim 3,wherein the resilient cantilever is received in an opening formed in thewall and wherein the resilient cantilever protrudes inward from theopening.
 14. The electrical connector terminal according to claim 3,wherein the electrical connector terminal has an insertion chamberformed by the wall and the insertion chamber is configured to receivethe insertion end of the mating electrical connector terminal.